Fascines

ABSTRACT

There are disclosed fascines which can be easily installed and which give a lasting support to sand sedimentation from quicksands. Said fascines consist of a pile and a sheet made from thermoplastic material and cut like a comb into narrow strips wrapped around and fastened to said pile.

United States ataent 1 1 aihre 1451 Apr. 10, 1973 FASQINES [56]References Cited [75] Inventor: Ernst August Biihre, Frank- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS furi/Mam Germany 3,607,586 9/1971 Hankus ..161 24 [73]Assignee: Farbwerke l-loechst Aktien- 3,299,640 1/1967 u h ft vomalsMeme, Lucius 3,426,536 2/1969 Danz ..6l/3 Bruning, F kf t/M i Gep3,477,897 11/1969 l-lankus ..l61/24 x many 3,559,407 2/1971 Delft ..6l/3

[22] Flled: May 1971 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado [21] Appl. No.:143,822 Assistant Examiner-Philip C. Kannan Att0rneyConnolly and Hutz[30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT May 19, l970 Germany ..P20 24 255.1

There are disclosed fascines which can be easily in- [52] US. Cl ..61/37stalled and which give a lasting support to sand sedi- [51] Int. Cl...E02b 3/12 mentation from quicksands. Said fascines consist of a Fieldof Search 37, 3, 4, 5; pile and a heet made from thermoplastic materialand 161/22, 24 out like a comb into narrow strips wrapped around andfastened to said pile.

4 Clairm, 2 Drawing Figures PATENIE APR 1 0 1975 FIG.1

WNNNMNV INVENTOR ERNST AUGUST BAHRE BY QASMWGQQ, ux ATTORNEY FASCINESThe present invention relates to fascines.

It is known that, in such shore and beach areas which are menaced byerosion, the deposit of quicksands is tried to be enhanced in variousways in order to ensure the stability of the coast.

For example, it is quite usual to dig hedge-like brushwood into suchplaces where the growth of plants is not yet possible. However, onaccount of their short life and their considerable fragility, thesehedgerows, despite the great expenses in labor and costs for theirinstallation, do not offer lasting protection. Furthermore, it has beentried for this purpose to use perforated sheets or latticed structuresmade from plastic materials, which are fastened to posts in fencelikemanner. By this method some improvements were obtained, but there arestill large requirements of fascine elements which can be easilyinstalled and which give a lasting support to sand sedimentation.

It has now been found that the sedimentation of sand can be considerablyimproved by fascines consisting of a sheet made from thermoplasticmaterial cut into narrow strips like a comb and wrapped around andfastened to a pile.

Such fascines especially are preferred, the pile of which is a tube madefrom thermoplastic material whereon can be attached further tubeconnections with wrapped around comb-like cut sheets made fromthermoplastic material.

As thermoplastic material, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, vinylchloride copolymers and mixtures containing preponderant amounts of suchpolymers are advantageously used.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

The fascines of the present invention are advantageously manufactured asfollows: a plastic sheet, thickness for example 2 mm, length l m andwidth 60 cm, is cut like a comb into strips of a width of about l cm(1), while leaving a continuous boundary strip of a width of about 5 cm(2) (as shown in FIG. 1). This boundary strip is nailed to the top ofthe pile or fastened to it in any other possible way, and wrapped aroundthe pile (3) in helical turns in downward direction, while it issimultaneously fastened (as shown in FIG. 2). These fascines are thenpile-driven into the shore either single or in groups.

The fascines so obtained are distinguished, as to their appearance aswell as to their effect on quicksands, by their very near similarity toplants, for example to lymegrass. This similarity may still be enhancedby using correspondingly dyed plastic sheets. The sweeping force of thewind for sand is broken by these fascines and a deposit of sand thus ismade possible.

The fascines as described may be successfully used also in places whichare occasionally flooded at high water. As soon as the water haswithdrawn, the fascines without being replaced can again be effectivefor the deposit of quicksands. As soon as enough sand thus has beencollected, the formation of dunes may be enhanced by planting lymegrass.

Furthermore, the fascines of the invention may also be usedadvantageously below the water line. In such places where the sand iswashed away by flowing water, they may cause the deposit of sand andthus also have their influence on the re ulation of rivers.

The fascines as descri ed thus offer additional means of taking simple,effective and profitable protection measures in accordance with thecorresponding local conditions.

What is claimed is z 1. In a process for the promotion of sandsedimentation, the use of fascines comprising a sheet made fromthermoplastic material, the sheet being partially cut into having anarray of narrow strips like a comb and being wrapped around and fastenedto a pile, and implanting the piles of the fascines in the sand with thearrays of comblike narrow strips disposed above the sand.

2. In a process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pile comprises a tubemade from thermoplastic material.

3. In a process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoplasticmaterial is selected from the group consisting of a polyolefm, polyvinylchloride, vinyl chloride copolymer or a mixture preponderantlycontaining these polymers.

4. In a process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portions of the sheetsof thermoplastic material remaining from the partial cutting comprise aboundary strip, and the boundary strips being helically wrapped andsecured to the piles.

1. In a process for the promotion of sand sedimentation, the use offascines comprising a sheet made from thermoplastic material, the sheetbeing partially cut into having an array of narrow strips like a comband being wrapped around and fastened to a pile, and implanting thepiles of the fascines in the sand with the arrays of comblike narrowstrips disposed above the sand.
 2. In a process as claimed in claim 1,wherein the pile comprises a tube made from thermoplastic material. 3.In a process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic materialis selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, vinyl chloride copolymer or a mixture preponderantlycontaining these polymers.
 4. In a process as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe portions of the sheets of thermoplastic material remaining from thepartial cutting comprise a boundary strip, and the boundary strips beinghelically wrapped and secured to the piles.